SYLLABUS
GS-2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Context: Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron visited India to participate in the AI Impact Summit hosted by India, reflecting growing cooperation between the two countries in emerging technologies and global digital governance.
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• During the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with President Macron, leading to the elevation of ties to a Special Global Strategic Partnership, reflecting deeper convergence in defence, technology, and global strategic issues.
• The upgrade builds on the Horizon 2047 roadmap and was described as a stabilising partnership rooted in multipolarity, strategic autonomy, and a rules-based international order.
• The visit also reflects India’s broader strategy of engaging a multipolar West and expanding strategic space through closer cooperation with Europe.
Key Outcomes of the Visit
• Strategic and Institutional Outcomes: Bilateral ties formally upgraded to a Special Global Strategic Partnership.
- Establishment of an annual Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue to monitor the Horizon 2047 roadmap.
- Creation of a Joint Advanced Technology Development Group on critical and emerging technologies.
- Reciprocal deployment of officers between Indian and French land forces.
• Defence and Aerospace Cooperation: Renewal of the defence cooperation agreement and expansion of joint production initiatives.
- Proposed BEL–Safran joint venture to manufacture HAMMER precision-guided missiles in India.
- Push for greater localisation, including higher indigenous content in defence manufacturing and MRO ecosystem expansion.
- Inauguration of the Tata–Airbus H125 helicopter final assembly line in Karnataka, with the first Made-in-India delivery expected by 2027 and export potential to South Asia.
- Continued collaboration in helicopter engine development through the Safran–HAL ecosystem.
• Technology, Innovation and Startups: Launch of the India–France Year of Innovation and an Innovation Network linking ecosystems.
- Letter of Intent between T-Hub and French partners to deepen startup collaboration.
- Cooperation in emerging domains such as AI governance and advanced materials.
• Science, Research and Education: Multiple joint research platforms were established, including the Indo-French Centre for AI in Health (AIIMS Delhi), the Indo-French Centre for Digital Science and Technology, and the Indo-French Centre for Metabolic Health Sciences.
- Cooperation between DBT and French research agencies on infectious diseases and global health.
- Expansion of scientific collaboration through new MoUs.
• Skilling and Industrial Capacity Building: Creation of a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Aeronautics.
- Aerospace manufacturing initiatives expected to boost employment, workforce skilling and domestic industrial capabilities.
• Economic and Regulatory Cooperation: Amendment to the Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) protocol.
- Renewed cooperation in renewable energy between the two governments.
- Agreements on critical minerals and metals supply chains, enhancing economic security.
• Space, Climate and Broader Collaboration: Continued collaboration in space missions such as the TRISHNA climate satellite (ISRO–CNES).
- Joint initiatives in museums, agriculture traceability and cultural projects.
India and France Bilateral Relations
| Historical Relations: | · Diplomatic relations established soon after India’s independence in 1947.· Strategic Partnership launched on 26 January 1998, India’s first with a Western nation and France’s first outside the EU. |
| Political Relations: | · 25 years of Strategic Partnership celebrated in 2023, with the adoption of Horizon 2047 roadmap.· Reciprocal honours: o PM Modi guest of honour at Bastille Day 2023 o Macron chief guest at Republic Day 2024.· Continued engagement through multilateral summits (G7, G20).· France a key partner in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). |
| Defence Relations: | · One of India’s strongest defence partnerships with a growing Atmanirbhar Bharat component.· The partnership is guided by institutional mechanisms like the Annual Defence Dialogue and the High Committee on Defence Cooperation.· Major defence projects include the Rafale fighter aircraft acquisition and other high-end platforms.· The Rafale-M deal signed in 2025 for the Indian Navy includes significant transfer of technology provisions.· The Scorpene submarine programme under Project P-75 was successfully completed in 2025.· Regular bilateral exercises include SHAKTI (Army), VARUNA (Navy), and GARUDA (Air Force).· Participation in multilateral drills like TARANG SHAKTI, MILAN, and La Perouse.· Innovation collaboration is supported through initiatives like FRIND-X (2024, Paris), linking defence startups across AI, drones, space, and quantum technologies |
| Economic Relations: | · Within the EU, France is India’s third-largest trading partner (after the Netherlands and Germany).· Bilateral trade more than doubled in a decade, reaching €12.67 billion in 2024–25, with Indian exports to France at €6.6 billion.· Trade is expected to grow further after the India–EU Free Trade Agreement (Jan 2026).· France ranks as the 11th largest foreign investor in India, with cumulative FDI of about €9.79 billion (April 2000–March 2025), accounting for 1.61% of total inflows.· Major sectors include services, cement and gypsum products, air transport, miscellaneous industries, and petroleum and natural gas.· Growing digital economic linkages, including UPI deployment in France and the establishment of innovation centres by Indian tech firms. |
| Energy Relations: | · India and France share deep cooperation in civil nuclear energy across multiple domains.· This includes the flagship Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant project in Maharashtra.· Both countries are also collaborating on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs).· Nuclear cooperation is further strengthened through training and capacity-building partnerships.· They also collaborate in fusion energy initiatives like ITER and participate in nuclear industry exhibitions.· In renewable energy, India and France are founding partners of the International Solar Alliance (2015).· The two countries adopted a joint roadmap on Green Hydrogen (2022). |
| Diaspora Relations: | · The Indian diaspora in mainland France is estimated at around 1.19 lakh people.· A larger population of over 3.5 lakh people lives in French overseas territories.· In 2024, OCI eligibility was extended to the diaspora in Guadeloupe and Martinique, strengthening diaspora ties. |